1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vane pump.
2. The Related Art of the Invention
Typically a cover for a vane pump is provided with complicated oil passages at a part of the cover and as a result, the strength of the cover itself is possibly damaged. Hence, a conventional pump for the purpose of maintaining the strength of the cover is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP7-279871A.
The conventional pump is provided with a concave portion formed at a joint face of the cover to a pump body, and an outer side plate made of iron sintered alloy is fitted into the concave portion as a reinforcing member. The rigidity of a cover side including the outer side plate is maintained by thus incorporating the outer side plate into the concave portion formed in the cover. And the outer side plate also serves to cover groove-shaped oil passages formed in the cover.
Portions of the outer side plate corresponding to the oil passages are not in contact with the cover. Since the part of the outer side plate is thus not in contact with the cover, a contact area between the outer side plate and the cover is made smaller.